Colour your world

I recently took ownership of a sweet little puppy Beagle. Just seven months old, full of joy and full of mischief! Ive heard they are a real handful but not until I owned one myself did I fully appreciate that fact. But all is not bad in the world, no, in fact this turns out pretty well. You see, having a dog means caring for it. Taking the little doggie for walks. That also means I get exercise as well. The bonus for me is the opportunity to spend more of my time in the woods. This winter has been brutally cold in Ontario. Wind and snow at crazy levels. Taking little Ripley out seems daunting at first thought but once out there he just runs his little legs off, and mine! Today I realized that if it were not for this little floppy eared doggie I might just be pretty depressed. The world seems pretty sad these days. Our global security seems weaker than ever, people are suffering every where and stress is at all of our doors. It gets to me lately. More than I care to say and it overwhelms me. But then theres Ripley. Ripley just wants to play. Wants to run. Wants to smell, see, hear and everything else his senses can take in. Perhaps I need to do some of that. Perhaps I need to colour my world with ore of the beauty that surrounds me. I'm glad I'm an artist and can paint what I feel. I'm also glad I have a little dog who helps me to see beyond my dark view of the world.

This is me at Holly and Roy's cottage painting sketch canvases of Canoe Lake in the summer of 2011.

This sketch above became this finished painting below

The Pine Tree Painter.

How did I become known as the Pine Tree Painter? You could say I paint a lot of Pine Trees, that would be true. I paint a lot of other things too, but Pine Trees, Spruce Trees, Birch and others seem to be a continuous string in what i do. I just like the way they stand there like a custodian of the land. or a greeter to nature. So, I continue down the path with the Pine Tree Painter name on my head, It's ok. Robert McAffee